216 THE WEDDING-FEAST. well-pleased bass, mingling with laughter and squeaks, and the thudding of bounding feet, made every pulse in our young blood circle as briskly as the dancers in their reeling. When we reached the door, the moment that the venerable minister made his appearance the music stopped, and the dancing was suspended, by which we were enabled to survey the assembly for a few minutes in its most composed and ceremonious form. At the upper end of the barn stood two arm-chairs, one of which, appropriated to the bridegroom, was empty; in the other sat the bride, panting from the vigorous efforts she had made in the reel that was interrupted by our entrance. The bridegroom himself was standing near a table close to the musicians, stirring a large punch-bowl, and filling from time to time the glasses. His father sat in a corner by himself, with his hands leaning on his staff, and his lips firmly drawn together, contemplating the scene before him with a sharp but thoughtful eye. Old Kilmarkeckle, with an ivory snuff-box, mounted with gold, in his hand, was sitting with Mr Keelevin on the left hand of Claud, evidently explaining some remarkable property in the quality of the snuff, to which the honest lawyer was paying the utmost attention, looking at the philosophical laird, however, every now and then, with a countenance at once expressive of admiration, curiosity, and laughter. Leddy Grippy sat on the left of the bride, apparelled in a crimson satin gown, made for the occasion, with a stupendous fabric of gauze and calcut, adorned with vast convolutions of broad red ribbons, for a head-dress, and a costly French shawl, primly pinned open to show her embroidered stomacher. At her side sat the meek and beautiful Isabella, like a primrose within the shadow of a peony; and on Isabella's left the aged Lady Plealands, neatly dressed in white silk, with a close cap of black lace, black silk mittens, and a rich black apron. But we must not attempt thus to describe all the guests, who, to the number of nearly a hundred, young and old, were seated in various groups around the sides of the barn; for our attention was drawn to Milrookit, the Laird of Dirdumwhamle, a hearty widower, for the second time, about forty-five-he might be older -who, cozily in a corner, was engaged in serious courtship with Miss Meg. When the formalities of respect with which Doctor Denholm was so properly received had been duly performed, the bridegroom bade the BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM. 217 fiddlers again play up, and, going towards the minister, said, "Do ye smell ony thing gude, sir?” "No doubt, bridegroom,” replied the doctor; "I canna be insensible to the pleasant savour of the supper." "Come here, then," rejoined Watty, "and I'll show you a sight would do a hungry body good. Weel I wot my mother hasna spared her skill and spice." In saying which he lifted aside a carpet that had been drawn against the barn like a curtain behind the seats at the upper end of the ball-room, and showed him the supper-table, on which about a dozen men and maid servants were in the act of piling joints and pies that would have done credit to the Michaelmas dinner of the Glasgow magistrates. "Isna that a gallant banquet?" said Watty; "look at yon braw pastry pie wi' the king's crown on 't." The reverend doctor declared that it was a very edificial structure, and he had no doubt it was as good as it looked. "Would you like to pree 't, doctor? I'll just nip off ane o' the pearlies on the crown to let you taste how good it is. It'll never be missed.” The bride, who overheard part of this dialogue, started up at these words, and as Walter was in the act of stretching forth his hand to plunder the crown, she pulled him by the coat-tail, and drew him into the chair appropriated for him, sitting down at the same time in her own, on his left, saying, in an angry whisper, "Are ye fou' already, Watty Walkinshaw? If ye mudge out o' that seat again this night, I'll mak' you as sick o' pies and puddings as ever a dog was o' het kail." Nothing more particular happened before supper; and everything went off at the banquet as mirthfully as on any similar occasion. |